Cosmos Terms of Service
These Terms of Service ("Terms") set out the conditions for using Cosmos ("the Service") and the rights and obligations of the operator and users. By using the Service you agree to these Terms.
The Japanese version is the authoritative original. If there is any discrepancy in interpretation, the Japanese version prevails. These Terms are governed by the laws of Japan.
Purpose of the Service
The purpose of the Service is "mutual help close at hand in Japan's aging society": you request help (cleaning, shopping on your behalf, yard work, preparing dinner, wellness checks, and more), and a worker who lives nearby starts helping only after meeting you in person — a neighborhood mutual-help service.
Scope and Eligible Users
The Service is intended for use within Japan. Worker registration is open from age 15, but minors under 18 require the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
Users under 18 who use the Service as requesters (including proxy requests on behalf of family members or others) must also do so with the prior consent of a parent or legal guardian. The operator may contact the guardian to confirm that this consent has been given.
Face-to-Face Greeting Rule
The Service requires an in-person start and an in-person completion. After arriving, the worker (helper) must greet the requester or in-person beneficiary directly before starting the task. Work cannot be started without meeting in person. Location and face-to-face records are stored for safety verification.
About the Estimated Task Time
Every job shows the worker (helper) an estimated time from start to completion. Going over that time carries no penalty, but please treat it as a guide and aim to finish the job within it.
Health Considerations
Because workers are independent contractors there is no legal cap on working hours, but overworking harms your health. Avoid continuous shifts and take enough breaks and sleep. Do not accept jobs when you are unwell.
Safety and Crime Prevention
Our work is a service where people meet in person in private spaces such as your home. All users must observe the following safety precautions.
- Requesters: during the work, stay present and keep an eye on the worker as much as possible. If any problem occurs, ask the worker to stop, then promptly contact the operator support window in the app.
- Workers: a worker's job carries a duty to act in good faith. Carry out the requested work sincerely, and work under the requester's instructions and supervision.
- Response to suspicious behavior: if anything suspicious is confirmed, the operator will investigate and take measures such as account suspension. Where suspicious conduct is found, the user's name, identity-verification information, location data, and face-to-face records will be provided to the police and other investigative authorities.
Prohibited Conduct
The following behaviors are subject to reporting, blocking, or account suspension:
- Abuse, harassment, or discriminatory remarks
- Demanding money without authorization, or soliciting off-app transactions
- Not performing the agreed task, or falsely reporting completion
- Misuse of personal information such as address or contact details
- Working under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or any dangerous act
- Impersonation or falsifying identity
- Conduct that violates laws or public order and morals
In any other case judged to be malicious, the account will be suspended.
What Workers May Not Do
Workers can basically work without any license. However, the following require a permit or national qualification and are therefore subject to reporting and suspension as violations of these Terms:
- Driving the requester in a private car
- Logging in, transferring or paying money, or filing online applications to government offices while impersonating someone else
- Drafting legal documents such as government filings, contracts, wills or inheritance papers
- Taking household garbage away or transporting it to a disposal site
- Receiving a pharmacist's medication guidance on the user's behalf, or making medical judgments
- Physical care such as bathing, toileting or feeding assistance, or any medical act
- Boarding or caring for pets on a for-profit, repeated basis
The detailed line for each category is shown under "What we can't do" on the request screen.
Compensation and Commission
The total compensation is shown on screen before the request is confirmed, and all displayed prices include consumption tax. The cost of goods for shopping-on-your-behalf is settled at actual cost. The operator charges a commission (20%) on completed transactions. Payment is by credit card only; no cash is exchanged directly. For shopping-on-your-behalf, the worker pays for the goods first, and after the requester approves the receipt the actual cost is charged to the requester's credit card. The operator transfers the full amount of the collected cost of goods to the worker without deducting any commission.
Damages and User Responsibility
The operator provides a venue for matching within your local community. The operator does not compensate for accidents or damage occurring during a worker's work. Property damage, injury, or other loss arising during a worker's work is the worker's own responsibility and is to be resolved between the parties involved. Workers should consider obtaining their own insurance as needed.
Handling on Withdrawal
After withdrawal, your account can be restored within 30 days. After that, it is permanently deleted.
Self-Recovery When Changing Devices or Accounts
You can sign in again with whichever of Email, Apple, or Google you were using.
Amendment and Governing Law
The operator will amend these Terms as needed. For material changes, re-consent is requested within the app. These Terms are governed by the laws of Japan.